Welcome to Dining With the Stars, a series where we sit down with celebrities and chefs to discuss all things food. Grab a seat at our table to find out their favorite restaurants, dream dinner party guest list and more delicious details.
Al Roker hardly needs an introduction, but we’re going to give him one anyway. The TODAY weatherman and 3rd hour co-host is known for his love of food and dining out. He’s written several cookbooks and is not shy about his friendship with some of New York’s top chefs including Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert and Marcus Samuelsson. As a passionate home cook and griller, Al chatted with TODAY.com about all things food.
Is there a dish you consistently make? A recipe you keep in your back pocket at all times?
Pan-seared salmon, brown rice and oven roasted broccoli. Separate a big head of broccoli into individual florets, spritz with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, za’atar and red chili flakes and roast until the edges are brown and crunchy.
Do you and your family have any weeknight dinner traditions?
Now that the kids are gone for the most part, we’re trying to venture out once a week and try new restaurants that are beyond a four-block radius from our house.
Do you have a favorite grocery store? What are your go-to items?
I like going to the east side Trader Joe’s because it’s like going to a well-lit Middle Eastern souk. Culinary surprises lurk around every corner and New Yorkers from all walks of life come through. And the folks who work there are the nicest people you will find anywhere. I do like the sweet and spicy pecans, the big bag of white cheddar corn puffs and the dark chocolate peanut butter cups.
Tell me about your cooking journey. Have you always enjoyed cooking? How did you learn how to cook?
I’ve always enjoyed cooking. I’ve learned by basically watching my mom — I think a lot of people learn that way. I liked watching her, and also I like to eat. So if you’re gonna like to eat, you better learn how to cook. Because you’re not always going to have your mother making food for you.
You have to wake up so early in the morning for work! Walk us through a day in the life. What is it like to have to eat the dishes talent are cooking on set at 8 or 9 a.m.?
Well, I get up around 4 a.m. I have a cup of cold brew coffee in the morning before work while I’m getting ready for the show. And then I get in and I’ll have a little egg bite or a smoothie.
Oh, how hard is it eating food made by world renowned chefs? What is that? Yes, it’s not a problem. And why would anybody even think that’s a problem? I mean, yes. If these were like world’s worst chefs, that might be an issue. But when you’ve got people from Marcus Samuelsson to Ina Garten to Alexander Smalls to all these folks coming in and cooking for us, I think they call that a perk.
Do you have a favorite restaurant in New York City?
That’s like who’s your favorite kid? Like what mood are you in? What do you feel like? I mean, are you going to be able to compare Kwame Onwuachi’s Tatiana to Daniel Boulud’s Café Boulud? No, you can’t. So, no. And I know too many of these people and go to too many of these restaurants — so then I go in and I’m getting a stink eye.
Go-to comfort food?
Grilled liver and onions.
Dream dinner party guest list?
Oprah, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Jim Carrey, Samuel L. Jackson, Kelly Clarkson and Melissa Clark of New York Times Cooking.
Favorite food city outside the U.S.?
Paris.
Cooking at home or dining out?
Both. Again, it’s like some days, you want to just eat in. You just don’t feel like getting dressed, going to the restaurant and waiting for your food. Some days, you don’t feel like cooking and there’s this nice place “where everybody knows your name.” We have a place down the block from us called Hoexter’s, and we��ll go sit at the bar and have a great burger, glass of wine and you’re back home.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
